Ankle Joint Replacement vs Fusion: Your Gait will be Better but Not Normal

ankle joint replacemnt vs fusion

Which is better, an ankle joint replacement vs fusion? The medical term “Gait” means the mechanics of how you walk. Many patients considering an ankle fusion vs. an ankle joint replacement want to walk normally again without a limp. Will these big surgeries accomplish that? A recent study looked at the gait of normal patients without any ankle problems and compared that to those who had received an ankle fusion or an ankle replacement surgery. The findings? Ankle replacement patients walked better than ankle fusion patients, which makes sense since an ankle fusion by definition stops certain important ankle joints from moving. Both ankle replacement and ankle fusion patients had improvements in gait, but neither walked like normal control patients. The upshot? We have serious concerns about ankle fusion as a routine treatment for ankle arthritis. The ankle fusion surgery, like all fusions, dramatically reduces ankle range of motion by stopping motion at three key ankle joints. While ankle replacement has it’s issues (see this blog post of a woman who developed chronic pain due to ankle joint replacement), at least it attempts to preserve some motion. So which is better…Ankle Joint Replacement vs Fusion? As this study shows, neither technology will allow enough motion to allow normal walking.

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Chris Centeno, MD is a specialist in regenerative medicine and the new field of Interventional Orthopedics. Centeno pioneered orthopedic stem cell procedures in 2005 and is responsible for a large amount of the published research on stem cell use for orthopedic applications. View Profile

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NOTE: This blog post provides general information to help the reader better understand regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal health, and related subjects. All content provided in this blog, website, or any linked materials, including text, graphics, images, patient profiles, outcomes, and information, are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please always consult with a professional and certified healthcare provider to discuss if a treatment is right for you.

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